The Heartthrob Halo Doesn't Work on the Villain - Chapter 6

Despite being a “patient,” Lin Yan was anything but compliant. She kept whispering into Lou Yubing’s ear or feigning weakness by nuzzling her head against Lou Yubing’s shoulder.

After enduring countless instances of warm, moist breaths against her ear and the back of her neck, they finally reached the infirmary. If the journey had taken any longer, Lou Yubing couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t have dumped Lin Yan on the floor.

Thanks to her menstrual cycle, Lin Yan wasn’t worried about her lie being exposed. But she seemed to have forgotten the unique nature of this world—that as people approached adulthood, they faced the issue of differentiation.

What could have been easily explained away as menstrual cramps turned into a full-blown medical examination in the cramped but fully equipped infirmary. Lin Yan was subjected to a battery of tests, including a bl00d draw for lab results.

The next exam they were supposed to take was delayed. Lin Yan was clueless about the reason, while Lou Yubing was forced to comply.

Staring at the knuckles gripping her wrist so tightly, Lou Yubing admitted she really wanted to straighten those fingers one by one until they cracked. But when she saw Lin Yan’s face pale at the sight of the thin needle, her lips trembling, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

After all, they were still just high schoolers, and they hadn’t become mortal enemies. Besides, Lin Yan seemed to have genuinely changed a lot recently…

This time, Lin Yan wasn’t faking it. If there was anything in the world she truly feared, it was needles. The fact that she hadn’t fainted at the sight of one was already a remarkable achievement.

At that moment, Lin Yan was like a drifting duckweed in a storm, desperately seeking something to cling to. Only after the needle was withdrawn and the bl00d sample collected did she finally exhale in relief. When she regained her composure, cold sweat beaded on her forehead and back. Her other hand remained clamped tightly around Lou Yubing’s wrist, leaving deep, slow-fading red marks on her pale, jade-like skin.

What Lin Yan least expected was that Lou Yubing would let her hold on like that.

The doctor on duty in the infirmary broke the slightly awkward silence between them. While operating the medical equipment, she instructed Lou Yubing to help Lin Yan lie down.

Although this world shared a similar worldview with the one Lin Yan had come from, their developmental priorities differed. Perhaps due to the universal issue of Secondary Genders, medical technology here was remarkably advanced. Even a small high school infirmary was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. Data reports that might have taken days to obtain in her original world could now be generated in the time it took to drink a cup of tea. No sooner had Lin Yan settled into the bed than the doctor, having finished her tasks, returned with the results.

Lin Yan hadn’t expected anything serious, especially since her mind was still reeling from the shock she’d experienced moments ago. Her eyes were glazed over, but the doctor’s words struck her like a thunderbolt.

“This young student is showing signs of differentiation. This semester, make sure to get plenty of rest. If you notice anything unusual, come to the infirmary immediately for confirmation. Also, carry both types of suppressants with you at all times, just in case. Do you understand?”

Lin Yan stared blankly at the doctor’s mouth moving, her words sounding so casual, yet they sent a sharp pain through her head.

Because heat cycles and rut periods often carry instability and can easily lead to accidents, this world’s universal education system was relatively comprehensive. However, Lin Yan was just a newly arrived missioner who’d been here for less than two weeks. Apart from hearing 555 mention the consequences of differentiation once, she knew nothing else about it.

On the day she transmigrated into the novel, she was overwhelmed with new information. It was the first time she’d ever clicked on a story with the “ABO” tag. If she had known such a fantastical thing could happen to her in the future, she would have found that novel long ago and memorized it by heart.

Those innocent eyes didn’t seem feigned, so the doctor turned halfway and repeated the instructions to Lou Yubing.

Usually, students who accompanied their classmates to the infirmary were close friends, making such explanations perfectly reasonable.

While the doctor spoke with Lou Yubing, 555 explained the world’s specifics to Lin Yan. By the time she finally grasped the details, she noticed the ice block standing rigidly to the side, head slightly bowed.

Lin Yan’s gaze drifted downward, easily spotting the wrist with its protruding bone. Faint finger marks, her own handiwork from earlier, lingered on the pale skin.

Just now, after the bl00d draw, Lin Yan had released her grip, expecting Lou Yubing to finally snap and storm off. Instead, she had remained, listening attentively to the doctor’s instructions.

Today, Lin Yan had underestimated Lou Yubing’s patience again and again.

As if sensing the burning gaze, Lou Yubing turned her head, their eyes meeting unexpectedly. Caught staring, Lin Yan made no attempt to hide her scrutiny, brazenly continuing to stare with undisguised interest. A triumphant smirk curled her lips, forcing Lou Yubing to break the gaze first, awkwardly turning her head away.

These subtle gestures naturally didn’t escape the notice of the third person in the infirmary. A soft cough from the doctor made both women feel a sudden awkwardness.

It wasn’t that she wanted to interrupt; after all, the young couple’s feelings were written all over their faces. It was simply the timing. If she hadn’t been in the middle of explaining the crucial details of differentiation, she would have pulled up a chair to watch the drama unfold. But as a doctor, she had a sense of responsibility and needed to finish what she had to say.

“Have you remembered everything I just explained?”

A good student is a good student, after all. Memorizing things was no problem for Lou Yubing. As she recited the doctor’s instructions with the briskness of listing menu items, Lin Yan suddenly experienced a fleeting, inexplicable sense of the joy of raising a child.

No wonder those seemingly well-behaved celebrity idols had so many “mommy fans.”

She transmitted her thought that this girl was rather cute to 555. The familiar voice didn’t immediately respond, as if momentarily speechless, before finally replying with a simple, “She wants to be your girlfriend, and you want to be her mom…”

555’s words stirred Lin Yan’s thoughts. How could the original owner have resorted to such low-grade tactics against someone like Lou Yubing? It was hard to say whether it was stupidity or something else entirely.

“Xiao Wu, I think if we can prevent this ice block from being triggered by bad things in the future, this mission should be quite easy to complete.”

The biggest problem is how to prevent it. And who told you to call me Xiao Wu?

“555 is just awkward to say, always sounds like someone’s crying. Xiao Wu is so much more friendly and pleasant.”

Lin Yan teased, and 555 didn’t bother arguing over such a trivial matter, tacitly accepting the nickname.

The conversation between the two had ended, and Lou Yubing naturally returned. Lin Yan confidently checked the favorability data on her interface, only to see a glaring zero. Her face darkened several shades.

What a block of ice!

Lou Yubing had just settled onto the small stool beside the hospital bed when she caught a fleeting, resentful glance. Though it vanished in an instant, she still noticed it, her delicate brows furrowing.

What’s wrong with her now? So strange…

Ignoring it, Lou Yubing’s gaze shifted to the wall clock directly ahead. Half an hour had already passed since the second exam began. Returning to the exam was now impossible; since she couldn’t go back to the classroom, she would have to stay here quietly.

The infirmary wasn’t supposed to contain anything unrelated to medical care, but perhaps due to the intense academic pressure of high school, even this small corner had been fitted with two bookshelves. In addition to textbooks and test papers for various subjects, there were also some extracurricular reading materials.

Lou Yubing had naturally noticed these. Moreover, being confined in a room with someone she didn’t want to associate with, she couldn’t sit still for more than a few minutes.

Noticing her taking something from the bookshelf, Lin Yan glanced over for no particular reason. When she saw the cover Lou Yubing was holding, which boldly proclaimed “Mathematics II,” her lips twitched.

“She really loves studying…”

Master math, physics, and chemistry, and you can conquer the world!

Ignoring 555’s occasional outbursts, Lin Yan gradually propped herself up in bed, then placed a pillow behind her lower back. Having successfully drawn Lou Yubing’s attention, she leaned in mischievously.

Her dark hair cascaded down, bringing her face within centimeters of Lou Yubing’s. Instinctively, Lou Yubing tilted her chin upward, her gaze drifting downward to trace the whorls at the crown of Lin Yan’s head. A faint yet undeniable fragrance of roses lingered in the air.

“Won’t you get bored reading that?”

Lin Yan’s words snapped Lou Yubing out of her reverie. She realized they were standing too close, frowned, and stepped back.

But the moment she moved away, Lin Yan’s radiant, smiling face crumpled into a look of hurt, her lips pouting. Suddenly, Lou Yubing felt like her legs were weighted with lead, unable to move forward or back.

She had initially intended to distance herself from Lin Yan, yet she had inexplicably carried her to the infirmary, missed the exam, and now found herself preoccupied with these irrelevant thoughts. Lou Yubing was bewildered. Why did she lose her ability to think clearly whenever Lin Yan was around?

Could it be because of that one sentence?

Come to think of it, her uncharacteristic behavior had indeed begun after that incident.

“Hey, why are you ignoring me?”

Lou Yubing’s thoughts drifted again, but Lin Yan’s voice pulled her back. Forcing a cold expression, she spoke with a near-reproachful tone:

“Don’t get so close to me next time.” After a pause, she pulled her chair further away and sat down again. Yet her mind kept replaying the image of Lin Yan’s silky hair whorl and lingering breath, the fresh, gentle rose fragrance that felt strangely invasive. Her head drooped involuntarily, her voice muffled: “I don’t like it.”

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow, but before she could say anything, 555 suddenly cried out:

She’s lying! Her favorability just went up a little!

Oh, she’s a tsundere after all.

Despite being a “patient,” Lin Yan was far from well-behaved. She kept either whispering in Lou Yubing’s ear or feigning weakness by burying her head near Lou Yubing’s shoulder and nuzzling against her.

After countless times feeling the warm, moist breath on her ear and the back of her neck, they finally reached the infirmary. If the journey had been delayed any longer, Lou Yubing couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t have thrown Lin Yan to the ground.

Thanks to her menstrual period, Lin Yan wasn’t worried about her lies being exposed. But she seemed to have forgotten the unique nature of this world—that everyone nearing adulthood had to face the issue of differentiation.

What could have been easily explained away as menstrual cramps turned into a full medical examination in the small, cramped but fully equipped infirmary. Lin Yan was even subjected to bl00d tests while they waited for the results.

The next exam they were supposed to take was thus delayed. Lin Yan was bewildered, while Lou Yubing was forced to comply.

Staring at the knuckles gripping her wrist so tightly, Lou Yubing admitted she really wanted to straighten them out one by one. But seeing Lin Yan’s face, pale even from the thin needle, her lips trembling, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

After all, they were still just high schoolers, and they hadn’t sworn any mortal enmity. Besides, Lin Yan seemed to have genuinely changed a lot recently…

This time, Lin Yan wasn’t faking it. If there was one thing in the world she feared most, it was needles. The fact that she hadn’t fainted at the sight of one was already a victory.

Now, Lin Yan was like a floating weed tossed about in a storm, desperately seeking something to cling to. Only after the needle was withdrawn and the bl00d sample taken did she finally exhale in relief. When she regained her senses, cold sweat drenched her forehead and back, while her other hand remained clamped around Lou Yubing’s wrist. The pale, jade-like skin was marked with deep, lingering red welts from the force of her grip.

What Lin Yan least expected was that Lou Yubing would let her hold on like that.

The school nurse, on duty in the infirmary, broke the tense silence between them. As she operated the medical equipment, she instructed Lou Yubing to help Lin Yan lie down.

Although this world shared a similar worldview with the one Lin Yan had lived in, their developmental focuses differed somewhat. Perhaps due to the universal presence of Secondary Genders, medical science in this world was exceptionally advanced, with even a small high school infirmary boasting state-of-the-art equipment. Data reports that would have taken days to obtain in her original world could now be accessed in the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Lin Yan had barely settled onto the examination bed when the doctor, having just finished her previous task, returned.

Lin Yan hadn’t expected anything serious, still reeling from the shock of what had just happened. Her eyes remained glazed over, but the doctor’s words struck her like a thunderbolt.

“This young student is showing signs of differentiation. For the rest of the semester, prioritize rest and come to the infirmary immediately if you notice any unusual symptoms. Also, carry both types of suppressants with you at all times, just in case. Do you understand?”

Lin Yan stared blankly at the doctor’s lips moving, the casual tone of her words belying the headache-inducing implications.

Because heat cycles and susceptibility periods often involve instability and are prone to accidents, this world’s universal education system was relatively comprehensive. However, Lin Yan was just a newly arrived Missioner who had been here for less than two weeks. Apart from hearing 555 mention the consequences of differentiation once, she knew nothing else.

On the day she transmigrated into the novel, she was also experiencing these new concepts for the first time, clicking on an article with the ABO tag for the first time. If she had known that such a fantastical event might happen to her in the future, Lin Yan would have found that article long ago and memorized it by heart.

Those bewildered eyes didn’t seem feigned, so the doctor turned halfway and repeated the same instructions to Lou Yubing.

Usually, students who accompany their classmates to the infirmary are close friends, so it was natural to explain such matters to them as well.

While the doctor was speaking with Lou Yubing, 555 took the opportunity to explain the world’s specific circumstances to Lin Yan in more detail. By the time she had finally sorted everything out, she noticed that the big ice block was standing rigidly to one side, her head slightly bowed.

Lin Yan’s gaze gradually slid downward, easily spotting the exposed wrist with its prominent bone. Faint finger marks, her own handiwork from just now, remained on the pale skin.

Having finished drawing bl00d, Lin Yan released her grip, giving Lou Yubing a moment to breathe. She had expected Lou Yubing to finally lose patience and storm off, but to her surprise, Lou Yubing remained, listening intently to the doctor’s instructions.

Today, I’ve underestimated her patience again and again.

As if sensing the burning gaze, Lou Yubing turned her head, and their eyes met unexpectedly. Caught staring, Lin Yan made no attempt to hide her brazen, unrestrained scrutiny, even allowing a triumphant smile to curl her lips. This forced Lou Yubing to retreat first, awkwardly turning her head away.

These subtle movements didn’t escape the notice of the third person in the room. The doctor cleared her throat, creating an awkward tension between the two girls.

It wasn’t that she wanted to interrupt; the young women’s feelings were written all over their faces. But the timing was inappropriate. If she hadn’t been delivering crucial instructions about differentiation, she would have pulled up a chair to enjoy the show. As a doctor, however, she had a responsibility to fulfill, and she needed to finish what she had to say.

“Have you remembered everything I just explained?”

A model student through and through, Lou Yubing had no trouble recalling the information. As she rattled off the doctor’s instructions with the precision of reciting a menu, Lin Yan suddenly experienced a fleeting, inexplicable sense of the joy of raising a child.

No wonder those seemingly well-behaved celebrities and idols had so many “mommy fans.”

Lin Yan conveyed her thought that this guy was kind of cute to 555. The familiar voice didn’t immediately respond, as if momentarily speechless, before finally replying simply:

He wants to be her boyfriend, but you want to be her mom…

555’s words stirred Lin Yan’s thoughts. How could the original host have resorted to such crude tactics against someone like Lou Yubing? It was hard to say whether it was stupidity or something else entirely.

“Xiao Wu, I think if we can prevent this big ice block from being triggered by bad things in the future, this mission should be pretty easy to complete.”

The biggest problem is how to prevent that. And who told you to call me Xiao Wu?

“555 is hard to pronounce—it sounds like crying. Xiao Wu is much more affectionate and pleasant.”

Lin Yan teased. 555 didn’t argue further over such trivial matters, a tacit acknowledgment of the nickname.

The conversation between the two had ended. Lou Yubing naturally returned. Lin Yan confidently checked the panel to view the favorability rating, only to see a big, fat zero. Her face darkened several shades.

What an ice block!

Lou Yubing had just settled onto the small stool beside the hospital bed when she looked up and caught a fleeting, resentful gaze. Though it vanished in an instant, she noticed it immediately, her delicate brows furrowing.

What’s wrong with her now? So unreasonable…

Ignoring it, Lou Yubing’s gaze shifted to the wall clock hanging directly ahead. Half an hour had already passed since the second exam began, making it impractical to return. Since she couldn’t go back to the classroom, she’d have to stay put here.

Normally, a school clinic wouldn’t have anything unrelated to medical care. But perhaps due to the demanding high school curriculum, even this small corner of the room housed two bookshelves. Besides textbooks and exam papers for various subjects, there were also extracurricular reading materials.

Lou Yubing had naturally noticed these. Moreover, being stuck in a room with someone she didn’t want to interact with, she couldn’t bear to just sit there for more than a few minutes.

Noticing her taking something from the shelf, Lin Yan inexplicably glanced over a few more times. When she saw the cover Lou Yubing was holding, emblazoned with the large characters for “Mathematics,” her lips twitched.

“She really loves studying…”

“Master math, physics, and chemistry, and you’ll conquer the world!”

Ignoring 555’s occasional outbursts, Lin Yan gradually propped herself up in bed, placed a pillow behind her lower back, and, having successfully caught Lou Yubing’s attention, leaned in mischievously.

Her dark hair, cascading loosely, brought her face within centimeters of Lou Yubing’s. Instinctively, Lou Yubing tilted her chin up, her gaze drifting downward, tracing the whorls at the crown of Lin Yan’s head. A faint yet undeniable rose fragrance lingered in the air between them.

“Aren’t you bored reading this?” Lin Yan asked.

Her words snapped Lou Yubing back to reality. Realizing how close they were, she frowned, stood up, and took a step back.

But the moment she moved away, Lin Yan’s bright, smiling face crumpled into a look of wounded disappointment, her lips pursing into a pout. Suddenly, Lou Yubing felt her legs turn to lead, unable to advance or retreat.

Lou Yubing had initially intended to distance herself from Lin Yan, yet she had inexplicably carried her to the infirmary behind everyone’s back, missed her exam, and now found these irrelevant thoughts resurfacing in her mind. She suddenly felt confused. Why did she lose her ability to think clearly whenever she encountered Lin Yan these past few days?

Could it be because of that one sentence?

Upon closer reflection, her abnormal behavior did seem to have started after that incident.

“Hey, why aren’t you talking to me?”

Lou Yubing’s thoughts drifted again, but Lin Yan’s words pulled her back. Forcing a cold expression, she spoke in an almost scolding tone, “Don’t get so close to me next time.” After a pause, she pulled her chair back a bit, sat down again, and couldn’t shake the image of Lin Yan’s silky hair whorl and lingering breath from her mind—a fresh, gentle, yet strangely invasive rose fragrance. Her head naturally lowered, her voice muffled, “I don’t like it.”

Lin Yan raised an eyebrow, but before she could respond, 555 suddenly exclaimed:

She’s lying! Her favorability rating just went up a little!

Oh, she’s a tsundere, huh?